Gaming systems, devices and methods for dynamic symbol substitution

ABSTRACT

Systems, apparatuses and methods for enhancing or otherwise modifying gaming indicia sources, such as slot game reels sourcing slot games, poker decks sourcing poker hands, etc. Slot game embodiments involve replacing or modifying symbols with new or transformed symbols on a slot game event basis, such as on a spin-by-spin basis. Multiple sets of different symbol replacement instructions may be provided, such that selection of one of the sets will cause different modifications to the slot reels than had another set been selected. Embodiments enable such selection and reel variation on a spin-by-spin basis in slot games.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/173,656, filed Oct. 29, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,783,741, whichclaims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 62/580,046,filed on Nov. 1, 2017, to which priority is claimed pursuant to 35U.S.C. § 119(e) and which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to games, and more particularly tosystems, apparatuses and methods for enhancing, transforming, orreplacing symbols in a gaming symbol grid in gaming devices.

BACKGROUND

Casino games such as poker, slots, and craps have long been enjoyed as ameans of entertainment. Some of these games originated using traditionalelements such as playing cards or dice. More recently, gaming deviceshave been developed to simulate and/or further enhance these games whileremaining entertaining. The popularity of casino gambling with wageringcontinues to increase, as does recreational gambling such asnon-wagering computer game gambling. Part of this popularity is due tothe increased development of new types of games that are implemented, atleast in part, on gaming devices.

One reason that casino games are widely developed for gaming devices isthat a wide variety of games can be implemented on gaming devices,thereby providing an array of choices for players looking to gamble. Forexample, the graphics and sounds included in such games can be modifiedto reflect popular subjects, such as movies and television shows. Gameplay rules and types of games can also vary greatly providing manydifferent styles of gambling. Additionally, gaming devices requireminimal supervision to operate on a casino floor, or in other gamblingenvironments. That is, as compared to traditional casino games thatrequire a dealer, banker, stickman, pit managers, etc., gaming devicesneed much less employee attention to operate.

With the ability to provide new content, players have come to expect theavailability of an ever-wider selection of new games when visitingcasinos and other gaming venues. Playing new games adds to theexcitement of “gaming.” As is well known in the art and as used herein,the term “gaming” and “gaming devices” generally involves some form ofwagering, and that players make wagers of value, whether actual currencyor something else of value, e.g., token or credit. Wagering-type gamesusually provide rewards based on random chance as opposed to skill,although some skill may be an element in some types of games. Sincerandom chance is a significant component of these games, they aresometimes referred to as “games of chance.”

The present disclosure describes systems, apparatuses and methods thatfacilitate new and interesting gaming experiences, and provideadvantages over the prior art.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to systems, apparatuses,computer-readable media, and/or methods that are configured to replacesymbols in a gaming symbol grid on for each gaming event.

In accordance with one representative embodiment, a slot game apparatusis provided. The apparatus includes a reel set having multiple reels,each reel having various symbols associated therewith. A plurality ofselectable symbol substitution sets is also provided, such as in a localor remote storage, where each of the symbol substitution sets identifiesa target symbol(s) of the reel set that is targeted for replacement, andwhere each of the symbol substitution sets also specifies a number ofthe target symbols to replace on each of the reels. The representativeapparatus further includes a random event selection module that isconfigured to select one of the selectable symbol substitution sets, andin response thereto, to retrieve and/or otherwise identify the targetsymbols and the specified number of the target symbols to replace fromthe selected symbol substitution set. Such an apparatus may furtherinclude a symbol replacement module, configured to replace the specifiednumber of the target symbols on each respective one of the plurality ofreels with replacement symbols.

In one embodiment, the random event selection module may be configuredto select any one of the plurality of symbol substitution sets inconnection with each randomization and presentation of the reel set(e.g., in connection with each reel spin event). In a more particularembodiment, the random event selection module is configured to selectany one of the plurality of symbol substitution sets based on assignedrelative likelihoods of selection among the various symbol substitutionsets. For example, some of the symbol substitution sets may be weightedsuch that they are more likely to be selected than other ones of thesymbol substitution sets. In an alternative particular embodiment, therandom event selection module may be configured to randomly select anyone of the plurality of symbol substitution sets. Such random selectionmay be a fair/equal selection among the symbol substitution sets ratherthan a weighted selection as in other embodiments.

Another variation of such a slot game apparatus involves resetting thereel strips to their original configuration (e.g., a reel stripconfiguration prior to the modification of one or more reel strips basedon a symbol enhancement/replacement). In one embodiment, this resettingof the reel strips is implemented prior to the next selection by therandom event selection module. Thus, in some embodiments, the symbolreplacement is performed for one or more particular reel spins or othergaming events, and is not a persistent change to the reel strips, butrather a temporary change.

In another variation, one or more of the symbol substitution sets mayalso include information specifying particular target symbols among atotal of the target symbols in the reel set to be replaced. For example,where five target symbols are to be replaced on a first of five reels ofthe reel set, but there are twenty such symbols on the first reel, theselected symbol substitution set may include information as to whichfive of the twenty target symbols on that first reel should be replaced.This could be a random selection (e.g., any five of the twenty), orcould be guided to tend to select particular target symbols among thetotal target symbols (e.g., replace symbols having proximitycharacteristics on the reel), or the like.

Another variation of the slot game apparatus involves includinginformation in one or more of the symbol substitution sets thatspecifies particular positions on the plurality of reels in which theretrieved identified target symbols are to be positioned in place of thesymbols originally at those particular positions. For example, in onerepresentative example, the information in a selected symbolsubstitution set might indicate to select the first, fourth, ninth,thirteenth, and twentieth target symbols on the first reel forreplacement.

In yet another variation, the symbol replacement module is furtherconfigured to apply rules identifying which of a total number of thesymbols on each of the plurality of reels are to be replaced by thereplacement symbols.

In another representative variation, one or more of the symbolsubstitution sets further includes an identification of the replacementsymbols to be used to replace the target symbols. In an alternativerepresentative embodiment, the replacement symbols may be establishedprior to the reel spin or other gaming event for each of the targetsymbols targeted for replacement, and are not provided in the symbolsubstitution sets. In yet another particular variation, the replacementsymbols are derivatives of the target symbols being replaced.

Another variation of such a slot game apparatus involves specifying, viaa symbol substitution sets(s), that no symbols on a particular reel(s)of the reel set will involve symbol replacement.

The reel set and associated reels may be physical reels with manners ofreplacing or overlaying replacement symbols thereon for purposes ofpresentation and result analysis, or may be virtual reels that arepresented based on information stored about the reel symbols and theirsequence on each reel.

In yet another embodiment, the random event selection module may beimplemented as a random number generator, where each of the symbolsubstitution sets is associated with a number or range of numbersidentifiable by an output of the random number generator.

In accordance with another embodiment, a slot game device is providedthat includes a display presenting a slot game grid, and slot game reelseach having symbols associated therewith, where some portion of the slotgame reels is presented via the slot game grid. A user interfaceincludes at least one user input to enable a player to initiate a slotgame event presented via the slot game grid. A wager input device isprovided and structured to identify and validate player assets, and topermit the player to play the slot game event when the player assets areprovided. The slot game device includes a processing arrangementconfigured to make a selection among multiple symbol substitution sets,each of which identifies at least one target symbol targeted forreplacement and a number of the target symbols to replace, on each ofthe reels identified in the selected symbol substitution set. Theprocessing arrangement is further configured to replace that number ofthe target symbols with replacement symbols on each of the reels asgoverned by the selected symbol substitution set. The processingarrangement identifies any winning symbol combinations and correspondingawards from the reels as modified by the replacement symbols anddisplayed via the slot game grid in response to a “reel spin” or otherrandomization of the reel symbols. The replacement symbols may beremoved from the reels prior to player participation in a subsequent oneof the slot game events.

In a variation of such a slot game device, each of the symbolsubstitution sets is assigned a likelihood of being selected relative tothe other symbol substitution sets, where the processor is configured toselect from the symbol substitution sets pursuant to the assignedlikelihoods of being selected.

In accordance with another embodiment, a slot game device is providedthat includes a display presenting a slot game grid, a user interfacehaving a user input(s) to facilitate player initiation of a slot gameevent presented via the slot game grid, and a wager input devicestructured to identify and validate player assets and permit the playerto play the slot game event when the player assets are provided. Theslot game device also includes reel storage configured to storeassociated reels of a slot game, where each of the reels may havevarious consecutive symbols associated therewith. The slot game devicefurther includes symbol substitution set storage that is configured tostore a symbol substitution set identifying one or more target symbolson one or more of the reels to be replaced with one or more replacementsymbols, and specifying a number of the target symbols to be replaced oneach of the reels. A processor is configured to retrieve the storedsymbol substitution set in response to a signal initiating replacementof the target symbols on the reels with the replacement symbols of thesymbol substitution set. The processor is further configured to locatethe target symbols on each of the reels as identified in the symbolsubstitution set, and to locate a quantity of the target symbols on eachreel corresponding to the specified number of the target symbols to bereplaced as identified in the symbol substitution set. The processorfurther replaces the quantity of located target symbols with thereplacement symbols for use in a slot game event, and in responsethereto, to identify winning symbol combinations and correspondingawards on the reels as modified by the replacement symbols. In oneembodiment, the processor is configured to (e) reset each of the reelsto their original state in response to player participation in the slotgame event, and the symbol replacement process may be repeated inresponse to further occurrences of the signal.

In a more particular embodiment of such a slot game device, the symbolsubstitution set storage is configured to store multiple alternativesymbol substitution sets, each of which identifies respective targetsymbols and specifies a respective number of the target symbols to bereplaced on each of the reels. In such an embodiment, the processor maybe configured to select one of the symbol substitution sets in responseto the signal, to retrieve the selected symbol substitution set, and tocarry out the symbol replacement process based on that selected symbolsubstitution set.

In another particular representative embodiment of such a slot gamedevice, the signal is provided randomly in connection with the slot gameevent, where in an alternative representative embodiment, the signal isprovided in response to an event associated with participation in theslot game event.

This summary serves as an abbreviated, selective introduction of arepresentative subset of various concepts and embodiments that arefurther described or taught to those skilled in the art in theSpecification herein. This summary is not intended to refer to allembodiments, scopes, or breadths of claims otherwise supported by theSpecification, nor to identify essential features of the claimed subjectmatter, nor to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a representative gaming machine capable offacilitating player use and interaction with games and features inaccordance with the invention and representative embodiments describedherein.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a representative computingarrangement capable of implementing games and features in accordancewith the invention and representative embodiments described herein.

FIGS. 3A and 3B depict representative embodiments of a gaming devicehaving programmed operational modules for performing the gaming symbolsubstitution functions described herein.

FIG. 4 is an embodiment of an operational arrangement of a gaming deviceto enhance symbols in a slot game on a spin-by-spin basis.

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C depict a representative symbol substitution bank, anoriginal symbol set, and a modified symbol set resulting fromapplication of the symbol substitution bank to the original symbol set.

FIG. 6 depicts one representative manner for selecting symbols on a reelfor replacement, while tending to retain stacks of like symbols onmodified reels if a symbol from a stack on the original reel is to bereplaced.

FIGS. 7A and 7B depict examples of a slot game results without and withsymbol replacement respectively.

FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are block diagrams of representative gamingapparatuses for enhancing, transforming, or replacing symbols in agaming symbol grid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of various exemplary embodiments, referenceis made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and inwhich is shown by way of illustration representative embodiments inwhich the features described herein may be practiced. It is to beunderstood that other embodiments may be utilized, as structural andoperational changes may be made without departing from the scope of thedisclosure.

In the description that follows, the terms “reels,” “cards,” “decks,”and similar mechanically descriptive language may be used to describevarious apparatus presentation features, as well as various actionsoccurring to those objects (e.g., “spin,” “draw,” “hold,” “bet”).Although the present disclosure may be applicable to manual, mechanical,and/or computerized embodiments, as well as any combinationtherebetween, the use of mechanically descriptive terms is not meant tobe only applicable to mechanical embodiments. Those skilled in the artwill understand that, for purposes of providing gaming experiences toplayers, mechanical elements such as cards, reels, and the like may besimulated on a display in order to provide a familiar and satisfyingexperience that emulates the behavior of mechanical objects, as well asemulating actions that occur in the non-computerized games (e.g.,spinning, holding, drawing, betting). Further, the computerized versionmay provide the look of mechanical equivalents but may be generallyrandomized in a different way. Thus, the terms “cards,” “decks,”“reels,” “hands,” etc., are intended to describe both physical objectsand emulation or simulations of those objects and their behaviors usingelectronic apparatuses.

In various embodiments, the gaming displays are described in conjunctionwith the use of data in the form of “symbols.” In the context of thisdisclosure, a “symbol” may generally refer at least to a collection ofone or more arbitrary indicia or signs that have some conventional ordefined significance. In particular, the symbol may represent valuesthat can at least be used to determine whether to award a payout. Asymbol may include numbers, letters, shapes, pictures, textures, colors,sounds, etc., and any combination therebetween. A play state, such as awin, can be determined by comparing the symbol with one or more othersymbols. Such comparisons can be performed, for example, via software bymapping numbers (or other data structures such as character strings) tothe symbols and performing the comparisons on the numbers/datastructures. Other conventions associated with known games (e.g., thenumerical value/ordering of face cards and aces in card games) may alsobe programmatically analyzed to determine winning combinations.

Generally, systems, apparatuses and methods for dynamically replacing ormodifying symbols with new or transformed symbols on a gameevent-to-event basis (e.g., reel spin-to-spin basis). The systems,apparatuses and methods described herein may be implemented as a singlegame, or part of a multi-part game. For example, the game featuresdescribed herein may be implemented in primary gaming activities, bonusgames, side bet games or other secondary games associated with a primarygaming activity. The game features may be implemented in stand-alonegames, multi-player games, etc. Further, the disclosure may be appliedto games of chance, and descriptions provided in the context of anyrepresentative game (e.g. slot game) is provided for purposes offacilitating an understanding of the features described herein. However,the principles described herein are equally applicable to any game ofchance where an outcome(s) is determined for use in the player's gamingactivity.

Embodiments of the present concept include providing gaming devices(also referred to as gaming apparatuses or gaming machines), gamingsystems, and methods of operating these devices or systems to providegame play that involves replacing symbols to be provided on a slot gamegrid with new or transformed symbols on a spin-per-spin basis.

Numerous variations are possible in view of these and other embodimentsof the inventive concept. Representative embodiments and variations aredescribed herein, with some embodiments described with reference to thedrawings. However, many other embodiments and variations exist that arecovered by the principles and scope of this concept. For example,although some of the embodiments discussed below involve reel-based slotmachine examples of this concept, other embodiments include applicationof these inventive techniques in other types of slot games, poker games,roulette, bingo, or other games of chance. Some of these other types ofembodiments will be discussed below as variations to the examplesillustrated. However, many other types of games can implement similartechniques and fall within the scope of this disclosed concept.

Referring to the example gaming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 , therepresentative gaming apparatus includes at least a display area(s) 102(also referred to as a gaming display), and a player interface area(s)104, although some or all of the interactive mechanisms included in theuser interface area 104 may be provided via other or additional means,such as graphical icons used with a touch screen in the display area 102in some embodiments. The display area 102 may include one or more gamedisplays 106 (also referred to as “displays” or “gaming displays”) thatmay be included in physically separate displays or as portions of acommon large display. Here, the representative game display 106 includesat least a primary game play portion 108 that displays game elements andsymbols 110, and an operations portion 109 that can include meters,various game buttons and other input mechanisms, and/or other gameinformation for a player of the gaming device 100.

The user interface 104 allows the user to control, engage in play of,and otherwise interact with the gaming machine 100. The particular userinterface mechanisms included with user interface 104 may be dependenton the type of gaming device. For example, the user interface 104 mayinclude one or more buttons, switches, joysticks, levers, pull-downhandles, trackballs, voice-activated input, touchscreen input, tactileinput, and/or any other user input system or mechanism that allows theuser to play and interact with the particular gaming activity.

The user interface 104 may allow the user or player to enter coins,bills, or otherwise obtain credits through vouchers, tokens, creditcards, tickets, electronic money, etc. Various mechanisms for enteringsuch vouchers, tokens, credit cards, coins, tickets, etc. are describedbelow with reference to FIG. 2 . For example, currency input mechanisms,card readers, credit card readers, smart card readers, punch cardreaders, radio frequency identifier (RFID) readers, and other mechanismsmay be used to enter wagers. The user interface 104 may also include amechanism to read and/or validate player information, such as playerloyalty information to identify a user or player of the gaming device.This mechanism may be, for example, a card reader, biometric scanner,keypad, or other input device. It is through a user interface such asthe user interface 104 that the player can initiate and engage in gamingactivities. While the illustrated embodiment depicts various buttons forthe user interface 104, it should be recognized that a wide variety ofuser interface options are available for use in connection with thepresent invention, including pressing buttons, touching a segment of atouch-screen, entering text, entering voice commands, or other knowndata entry methodology.

The game display 106 in the display area 102 may include one or more ofan electronic display, a video display, a mechanical display, and fixeddisplay information, such as pay table information associated with aglass/plastic panel(s) on the gaming machine 100 and/or graphicalimages. The symbols or other indicia associated with the play of thegame may be presented on an electronic display device or on mechanicaldevices associated with a mechanical display. Generally, in someembodiments, the display 106 devotes the largest portion of viewablearea to the primary gaming portion 108. The primary gaming portion 108may provide visual feedback to the user for any selected game. Theprimary gaming portion 108 may render graphical objects such as cards,slot reels, dice, animated characters, and any other gaming visual knownin the art. The primary gaming portion 108 may also inform players ofthe outcome of any particular event, including whether the eventresulted in a win or loss.

In some example embodiments illustrated herein, the primary gamingportion 108 may display a grid (or equivalent arrangement) of gameelements 110 or game element positions (also referred to herein as “reelstop positions”). As illustrated in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , thegrid includes three rows and five columns of game elements 110, whichmay form a game outcome(s) of a game play event from which prizes aredetermined. In some slot machine examples, each column may display aportion of a game reel. The game reels may include a combination of gamesymbols in a predefined order. In mechanical examples, the game reelsmay include physical reel strips where game symbols are shown in imagesfixed on the reel strips. Virtual reel strips may be mapped to thesephysical reel positions shown on the reel strips to expand the range ordiversity of game outcomes. In video slot examples, reel strips may beencoded in a memory or database and virtual reels may be used for thegame reels with images representing the data related to the reel strips.In other slot machine embodiments, each reel stop position on the gridmay be associated with an independent reel strip. In yet other slotmachine embodiments, reels and/or reel strips may not be used at all indetermining the symbols shown in the game element positions of the grid.For example, a symbol may be randomly selected for each game elementposition, or the symbols may be determined in part by game eventsoccurring during game play, such as displayed elements being replaced bynew game elements or symbols. Numerous variations are possible forimplementing slot-type game play.

The primary gaming portion 108 may include other features known in theart that facilitate gaming, such as status and control portion 109. Asis generally known in the art, this portion 109 provides informationabout current bets, current wins, remaining credits, etc. associatedwith gaming activities of the grid of game elements 110. The controlportion 109 may also provide touchscreen controls for facilitating gameplay. The grid of game elements 110 may also include touchscreenfeatures, such as facilitating selection of individual symbols, or usercontrols over stopping or spinning reels. The game display 106 of thedisplay area 102 may include other features that are not shown, such aspay tables, navigation controls, etc.

Although FIG. 1 illustrates a particular implementation of some of theembodiments of this invention in a casino or electronic gaming machine(“EGM”), one or more devices may be programmed to play variousembodiments of the invention. The concepts and embodiments describedherein may be implemented, as shown in FIG. 1 , as a casino gamingmachine or other special purpose gaming kiosk as described herein, ormay be implemented via computing systems operating under the directionof local gaming software, and/or remotely-provided software such asprovided by an application service provider (ASP). Casino gamingmachines may also utilize computing systems to control and manage thegaming activity, although these computing systems typically includespecialized components and/or functionality to operate the particularelements of casino gaming machines. Additionally, computing systemsoperating over networks, such as the Internet, may also includespecialized components and/or functionality to operate elementsparticular to these systems, such as random number generators. Anexample of a representative computing system capable of carrying outoperations in accordance with the principles described herein isillustrated in FIG. 2 .

Hardware, firmware, software or any combination thereof may be used toperform the various gaming functions, display presentations andoperations described herein. The functional modules used in connectionwith the disclosure may reside in a gaming machine as described, or mayalternatively reside on a stand-alone or networked computer. Therepresentative computing structure 200 of FIG. 2 is an example of acomputing structure that can be used in connection with such electronicgaming machines, computers, or other computer-implemented devices tocarry out operations of the present invention. Although numerouscomponents or elements are shown as part of this computing structure 200in FIG. 2 , additional or fewer components may be utilized in particularimplementations of embodiments of the invention.

The example computing arrangement 200 suitable for performing the gamingfunctions described herein includes a processor, such as depicted by therepresentative central processing unit (CPU) 202, coupled to memory,such as random access memory (RAM) 204, and some variation of read-onlymemory (ROM) 206 or other persistent storage. The ROM 206 may alsorepresent other types of storage media to store programs, such asprogrammable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM or any technology capableof storing data). The processor 202 may communicate with other internaland external components through input/output (I/O) circuitry 208 andbussing 210, to communicate control signals, communication signals, andthe like.

The computing arrangement 200 may also include one or more data storagedevices, including hard and floppy disk drives 212, CD-ROM drives 214,card reader 215, and other hardware capable of reading and/or storinginformation such as DVD, etc. In one embodiment, software for carryingout the operations in accordance with the present invention may bestored and distributed on a CD-ROM 216, diskette 218, access card 219,or other form of computer readable media capable of portably storinginformation. These storage media may be inserted into, and read by,devices such as the CD-ROM drive 214, the disk drive 212, card reader215, etc. The software may also be transmitted to the computingarrangement 200 via data signals, such as being downloadedelectronically via a network, such as local area network (casino,property, or bank network) or a wide area network (e.g., the Internet).Further, as previously described, the software for carrying out thefunctions associated with the present invention may alternatively bestored in internal memory/storage of the computing device 200, such asin the ROM 206.

The computing arrangement 200 is coupled to one or more displays 211,which represent a manner in which the gaming activities may bepresented. The display 211 represents the “presentation” of the gameinformation in accordance with the disclosure, and may be a mechanicaldisplay showing physical spinning reels, a video display, such as liquidcrystal displays, plasma displays, cathode ray tubes (CRT), digitallight processing (DLP) displays, liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS)displays, etc., or any type of known display or presentation screen.

Where the computing device 200 represents a stand-alone or networkedcomputer, the display 211 may represent a standard computer terminal ordisplay capable of displaying multiple windows, frames, etc. Where thecomputing device 200 represents a mobile electronic device, the display211 may represent the video display of the mobile electronic device.Where the computing device 200 is embedded within an electronic gamingmachine, the display 211 corresponds to the display screen of the gamingmachine/kiosk.

A user input interface 222 such as a mouse, keyboard/keypad, microphone,touch pad, trackball, joystick, touch screen, voice-recognition system,card reader, biometric scanner, RFID detector, etc. may be provided. Theuser input interface 222 may be used to input commands in the computingarrangement 200, such as placing wagers or initiating gaming events onthe computing arrangement 200, inputting currency or other paymentinformation to establish a credit amount or wager amount, inputting datato identify a player for a player loyalty system, etc. The display 211may also act as a user input device, e.g., where the display 211 is atouchscreen device. In embodiments, where the computing device 200 isimplemented in a personal computer, tablet, smart phone, or otherconsumer electronic device, the user interface and display may be theavailable input/output mechanisms related to those devices.

Chance-based gaming systems such as slot machines, in which the presentinvention is applicable, are governed by random numbers and processors,as facilitated by a random number generator (RNG) or other randomgenerator. The fixed and dynamic symbols generated as part of a gamingactivity may be produced using one or more RNGs. RNGs may be implementedusing hardware, software operable in connection with the processor 202,or some combination of hardware and software. The principles describedherein are operable using any known RNG, and may be integrallyprogrammed as part of the processor 202 operation, or alternatively maybe a separate RNG controller 240 that may be associated with thecomputing arrangement 200 or otherwise accessible such as via a network.The RNGs are often protected by one or more security measures to preventtampering, such as by using secured circuitry, locks on the physicalgame cabinet, and/or remote circuitry that transmits data to the gamingdevice.

The computing arrangement 200 may be connected to other computingdevices or gaming machines, such as via a network. The computingarrangement 200 may be connected to a network server(s) 228 in anintranet or local network configuration. The computer may further bepart of a larger network configuration as in a global area network (GAN)such as the Internet. In such a case, the computer may have access toone or more web servers via the Internet. In other arrangements, thecomputing arrangement 200 may be configured as an Internet server andsoftware for carrying out the operations in accordance with the presentinvention may interact with the player via one or more networks. Thecomputing arrangement 200 may also be operable over a social network orother network environment that may or may not regulate the wageringand/or gaming activity associated with gaming events played on thecomputing arrangement.

Other components directed to gaming machine implementations includemanners of gaming participant payment, and gaming machine payout. Forexample, a gaming machine including the computing arrangement 200 mayalso include a payout controller 242 to receive a signal from theprocessor 202 or other processor(s) indicating a payout is to be made toa player and controlling a payout device 244 to facilitate payment ofthe payout to the player. In some embodiments, the payout controller 242may independently determine the amount of payout to be provided to theparticipant or player. In other embodiments, the payout controller 242may be integrally implemented with the processor 202. The payoutcontroller 242 may be a hopper controller, a print driver,credit-transmitting device, bill-dispensing controller, accountingsoftware, or other controller device configured to verify and/orfacilitate payment to a player.

A payout or payment device 244 may also be provided in gaming machineembodiments, where the payment device 244 serves as the mechanismproviding the payout to the player or participant. In some embodiments,the payment device 244 may be a hopper, where the hopper serves as themechanism holding the coins/tokens of the machine, and/or distributingthe coins/tokens to the player in response to a signal from the payoutcontroller 242. In other embodiments, the payout device 244 may be aprinter mechanism structured to print credit-based tickets that may beredeemed by the player for cash, credit, or other casino value-basedcurrency or asset. In yet other embodiments, the payout device 244 maysend a signal via the network server 228 or other device toelectronically provide a credit amount to an account associated with theplayer, such as a credit card account or player loyalty account. Thecomputing arrangement 200 may also include accounting data stored in oneof the memory devices 204, 206. This accounting data may be transmittedto a casino accounting network or other network to manage accountingstatistics for the computing arrangement or to provide verification datafor the currency or currency-based tickets distributed by the payoutdevice, such as providing the data associated with the bar codes printedon the currency-based tickets so they are identifiable as valid ticketsfor a particular amount when the player redeems them or inserts them inanother gaming device.

The wager input module or device 246 represents any mechanism foraccepting coins, tokens, coupons, bills, electronic fund transfer (EFT),tickets, credit cards, smart cards, membership/loyalty cards, or anyother player assets, for which a participant inputs a wager amount. Thewager input device 246 may include magnetic strip readers, bar codescanners, light sensors, or other detection devices to identify andvalidate physical currency, currency-based tickets, cards withmagnetized-strips, or other medium inputted into the wager input device.When a particular medium is received in the wager input device 246, asignal may be generated to establish or increase an available creditamount or balance stored in the internal memory/storage of the computingdevice 200, such as in the RAM 204. Thereafter, specific wagers placedon games may reduce the available credit amount, while awards won mayincrease the available credit amount. It will be appreciated that theprimary gaming software 232 may be able to control payouts via thepayment device 244 and payout controller 242 for independentlydetermined payout events.

Among other functions, the computing arrangement 200 provides aninteractive experience to players via an input interface 222 and outputdevices, such as the display 211, speaker 230, etc. These experiencesare generally controlled by gaming software 232 that controls a primarygaming activity of the computing arrangement 200. The gaming software232 may be temporarily loaded into RAM 204, and may be stored locallyusing any combination of ROM 206, drives 212, media player 214, or othercomputer-readable storage media known in the art. The primary gamingsoftware 232 may also be accessed remotely, such as via the server 228or the Internet.

The primary gaming software 232 in the computing arrangement 200 may bean application software module. According to embodiments of the presentinvention, this software 232 provides a slot game or similar game ofchance as described herein. For example, the software 232 may present,by way of the display 211, representations of symbols to map orotherwise display as part of a slot-based game having reels. However, inother embodiments, the principles of this concept may be applied topoker games or other types of games of chance. One or more alignedpositions of these game elements may be evaluated to determine awardsbased on a pay table. The software 232 may include instructions toprovide other functionality as known in the art or as described andshown herein.

The systems, apparatuses and methods operable via these and analogouscomputing and gaming devices can support gaming features as describedherein. In one embodiment, symbols are dynamically replaced or modifiedwith new or transformed symbols on a game event-to-event basis. In thecontext of a slot game, symbols on physical or virtual reels may bechanged to other symbols, whereby the change is made on the reels beforethe reels populate the slot game grid with a matrix of symbols. In someembodiments, symbols are changed to any other symbol, where in otherembodiments the symbols are changed to another symbol that has somerelationship to the prior symbol. One embodiment involves randomlyselecting, before or otherwise in connection with each reel spin (e.g.,before, during, after etc.), a symbol or a set of symbols as well as aplacement map determining where those symbols are, and then changing thesymbol or set of symbols to other symbols for that reel spin. Oneexample of changing the symbol involves changing the symbol to anothersymbol that has a common characteristic with the prior symbol, such aschanging that particular symbol to a double of that particular symbol(e.g., changing a “J” symbol to a “JJ” symbol).

Many embodiments may be described in terms of a slot game, where symbolsare matched on paylines to determine payout awards. However, theprinciples described herein are equally applicable to other games ofchance, as described herein and as will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the teachings herein.

A representative embodiment is now described. In connection with eachreel spin in a slot game, a random selection is made that selects asingle symbol, or a single set of symbols such as two different symbols,M1 and M2. A placement map may also be created, to identify the quantityand location of symbols on the reels that are the target of replacement.The symbol or set of symbols are then changed to other symbols for thatreel spin. For example, where a random selection of a set of symbols, M1and M2, are randomly selected for symbol replacement, the M1 symbols maybe changed to a double symbol of the M1 symbol (referred to as D1), andthe M2 symbols may be changed to a double symbol of the M2 symbol(referred to as D2), for that reel spin.

In other words, at least some of the target symbols are changed todouble symbols of themselves for that reel spin, in one embodiment. Itallows the existing playable symbols to be changed on a spin-by-spinbasis. Another example is that before every reel spin, a random numberis drawn which selects a single set of symbols (e.g., M1 & M2) andplacement map (e.g., 10 random M1 symbols on reel 2 and 4 random M2symbols on reel 5 of a five-reel slot game). These single M1's are thenchanged to D1's (and M2's to D2's) for that spin, where D# represents adouble symbol of the same kind. For the next spin, a different symbol orset of symbols may be selected for symbol substitution, or alternativelythe same symbol or set of symbols may be again selected, or no symbolsmay be selected for symbol substitution. Thus, one embodiment involvesenabling symbol substitution on a spin-by-spin basis, where in otherembodiments the symbol substitution selection may carry on over somenumber of spins or other gaming events. As for presentation, the playerwould be seeing the new symbol (e.g., the D1 and D2 symbols in the aboveexample) go by on the reels during each reel spin, for those symbolsthat were allowed to change, without significantly affecting thegameplay style.

It should be noted that a “reel spin” is one representative manner inwhich symbols may be presented for gaming activities described herein,such as slot games. However, any manner of providing symbols that may beused in the gaming activity may be employed. For example, any manner ofrandomizing symbol positions may be accomplished on any grid, array, orotherwise presented, and do not need to be placed on mechanical orelectronic “reels.” References to “reels” and symbols on reels areprovided for facilitating an understanding of described embodiments,such as in a slot game context where mechanical and/or electronic reelsare indeed implemented, but the description herein is clearly notlimited thereto. Thus, descriptions in connection with “reels” andassociated symbol placement therewith are equally applicable to anysymbol randomization and presentation.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are representative embodiments of an operationalarrangement of a gaming device 300 to enhance or otherwise transformparticular symbols or other indicia in a game play area. Therepresentative embodiments of FIGS. 3A and 3B and other embodimentsdescribed herein may be implemented using processing hardware, storage,software, etc. FIGS. 3A and 3B depict embodiments where a processingarrangement (which is intended to include single processors, multipleprocessors, or any other processing arrangement) is programmed withsoftware and/or firmware to provide various modules to perform functionsdescribed herein.

The illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3A includes a symbol set 302A, whichmay include a plurality of different symbols or other indicia,including, for example, any one or more of shapes, images, colors,sizes, null/blank positions, etc. These symbols may be presented in anydesired fashion, including but not limited to via a plurality of reelstrips or reels, such as provided by way of mechanical reels or virtualreels or other physical and/or electronic mechanisms. For example,virtual reels may include a storage structure(s) to maintain symbolselection and placement on reels, and may include or otherwise involve adisplay to present the reels and symbols in a fashion suitable for theparticular game. Such reels or other symbol presentations may assembleor arrange symbols in a pattern (e.g., consecutively on discrete reelstrips) in any desired manner, such as positioning symbols in apredetermined manner, random manner, extemporaneous manner, etc. Anymanner of providing symbols or other indicia for relative comparison orother use to identify matching patterns, special symbols, or the likemay be used with the principles described herein.

For purposes of the representative embodiment of FIG. 3A, it will beassumed that the symbol set 302A includes a plurality of symbol reels(not shown), where each reel has a plurality of symbols or other gameindicia, where at least matching symbols on designated paylines mayprovide awards to the player. A player may play slot games or othergaming activities using the symbols/indicia associated with the symbolset 302A.

In accordance with one embodiment, one or more symbols of the symbol set302A may be replaced by one or more symbols associated with one of aplurality of available symbol substitution sets 304. For example, thestored symbol substitution sets 304 of FIG. 3A include a plurality ofsymbol substitution sets 304A, 304B, through some indeterminate numberof symbol substitution sets identified as symbol substitution set 304N.One, more or all of the symbol substitution sets 304A, 304B, . . . 304Nmay include identification of one or more symbols from the symbol set302A that are to be replaced. For example, a symbol substitution set304A could include, among other things, identification of a symbol(s)S1, meaning that S1 symbols from the symbol set 302A (e.g., a particularreel of the symbol set 302A) are the target symbols targeted forreplacement. Examples of such identification of a symbol(s) targeted forreplacement is discussed below, including but not limited to theinformation in the column “symbol to change” in the symbol substitutionbank 500 of FIG. 5A. Such information may be provided, in someembodiments, as part of the symbol substitution bank to identify whichsymbols are to be replaced from the original slot game symbols to arriveat the modified slot game symbols. In other embodiments, the symbol(s)targeted for replacement in the symbol set 302A may not be provided aspart of the symbol substitution bank/sets, as the symbol(s) targeted forreplacement in the symbol set 302A may be static and unchanging, wherebythe symbol(s) targeted for replacement in the symbol set 302A may beprogrammed or otherwise predetermined.

In another embodiment, one, more or all of the symbol substitution sets304A, 304B, . . . 304N may include identification of one or more symbolsthat will replace one or more symbols from the symbol set 302A. Forexample, a symbol(s) may be identified indicating which symbol(s) is tobe substituted for another symbol(s) on the original slot game reel toarrive at the modified slot game reel. Examples are further describedherein, including but not limited to FIG. 4 , which identifies thereplacement symbol (RS-A) in each of the symbol substitution sets 404A,404B, . . . 404N. In other embodiments, the replacement symbol(s) maynot be provided as part of the symbol substitution bank/sets, as thereplacement may be static and unchanging, whereby the symbol(s) toreplace other symbols may be programmed or otherwise predetermined.

Each of the symbol substitution sets 304 may additionally or insteadinclude a placement map identifying, to some desired degree, where thereplacement symbols from the symbol substitution sets 304 (and/or otheridentified symbols) will replace symbols from the symbol set 302A. Forexample, if the symbol set 302A includes five slot game reels, aselected one of the symbol substitution sets 304A, 304B, 304N mayinclude one or more symbols to replace one or more symbols in the symbolset 302A, where in some embodiments the symbol substitution sets 304A,304B, 304N also include information as to which symbol(s) and/orlocation(s) in the symbol set 302A to update, as noted above. Aplacement map may provide, however, specific information as to which ofthe target symbols in the original symbol set 302A will be replaced,such as to designate some subset of the total number of targeted symbolsto replace (e.g., if there are twenty target symbols of type S_(T) inthe symbol set 302A, and some subset such as ten of such S_(T) symbolsare to be replaced by substitute symbols S_(R), a placement mapassociated with one, more, or all of the symbol substitution sets 304A,304B, 304N may be provided to identify which ten of the twenty (i.e.which subset of the total) target symbols are to be replaced. Aplacement map may alternatively, or additionally, be used to identifythe number of symbols to be replaced in the original symbol set 302A.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3A, a random event selectionmodule 306 represents a software-programmed or otherwise configuredhardware module used to select one of the plurality of symbolsubstitution sets 304A, 304B, 304N. In other embodiments, the randomevent selection module 306 may alternatively or additionally determinewhen (e.g., on which slot game spin) a symbol substitution will takeplace. The random event selection module may be implemented in anydesired manner, such as using a hardware or software-based random numbergenerator (RNG) or other analogous module capable of providing outputsin a random fashion, or a weighted fashion, or round-robin or othersystematic fashion, or however substitute symbol sets are desired to beselected. In one embodiment, the random event selector is reset 305 forthe next spin or other gaming event, such that a different symbolsubstitution set 304A, 304B, 304N may be selected (randomly orotherwise), if desired.

In one embodiment, the random event selection module 306 is configuredto select each of the symbol substitution sets 304A, 304B, through 304Nbased on static or dynamic probabilities. For example, the random eventselection module 306 may be configured to select symbol substitution set304A 10% of the time, 304B 25% of the time, etc. One or more of thesymbol substitution sets 304 may include a “null” set, whereby selectionby the random event selection module 306 of that particular symbolsubstitution set 304 would result in no symbol replacement at the symbolset 302A. In a video-based or other electronic slot game embodiment, thesymbol substitution sets 304 may be implemented by storing substitutesymbols and associated placement map for each of the symbol substitutionsets 304A, 304B, 304N. Thus, in some embodiments, a random eventselection module 306 provides an output 307 that identifies one (or inother embodiments more than one) of the plurality of symbol substitutionsets 304A, 304B, 304N, in order to retrieve the respective one or moreof the substitute symbols and/or symbol set placement map associatedtherewith.

A symbol replacement module 308 represents a software-programmed orotherwise configured hardware module that may be provided to replacesymbols in the symbol set 302A with the symbol substitution set 304identified by the random event selection module 306. For example, anelectronic embodiment including virtual slot game reels, the replacementmodule 308 can locate the electronically stored electronic reels andassociated symbols and positions, and replace those symbols on the reelsas identified by the identified substitution symbols as prescribed by anassociated identified placement map. Where one or more symbols arereplaced, this replacement by the replacement module 308 would thenresult in a modified symbol set 302B. Thus, in some embodiments, thesymbol replacement module 308 is configured to replace symbols in thesymbol set 302A with the retrieved substitute symbols at reel positionsdefined the associated reel placement map, as prescribed by the selectedsymbol substitution set 304, to arrive at the modified symbol set 302B.

In accordance with one embodiment, the substitution of one or moresymbols in the symbol set 302A to arrive at a modified symbol set 302Bis available during a single gaming event. For example, in a slot gamecontext, the modified symbol set 302B may be available only for theresult of a single “spin” or other discernable, or in some embodimentsdefined, event. Thus, in such an embodiment, when gaming results areobtained and gaming payouts are provided (if applicable) in connectionwith a slot game spin event, the next spin may default back to theoriginal symbol set 302A until and unless another replacement isforthcoming as a result of the random event selector 306 selectinganother symbol substitution set 304A, 304B, 304N for the replacementmodule 308 to create a modified symbol set 302B. This ability topotentially select a different symbol substitution set (if any) may beconfigured into the random event selector 306, such as by way of themodule 305 which resets the selection for the next spin, or implementedin any of the modules associated with the gaming device.

In one embodiment, a number of the symbols of the symbol set 302A can bedesignated for substitution. For example, it may be desired to changeten symbols on a plurality of reels of the symbol set 302A from a firstsymbol (e.g., Symbol-A) to a second symbol (e.g., Symbol-B). In oneembodiment, it may be desirable to make such symbol substitutions bygroups of consecutive ones of the first symbol, whether the groups ofconsecutive first symbols include only one such symbol, or a pluralityof such symbols. For example, where ten Symbol-A symbols are to bechanged to Symbol-B symbols pursuant to configurations and selection ofa symbol substitution set 304, if a group of four consecutive Symbol-Bsymbols are on a particular reel of the symbol set 302A, all four ofthose consecutive Symbol-B symbols may be changed, thereby leaving sixmore Symbol-Bs to be changed. This may be beneficial on reels wherestacks of symbols, i.e., a plurality of consecutive identical (orrelated in other embodiments) symbols, are present and desired to remainas stacks of symbols.

In one embodiment, the selected symbol substitution set 304 may identifya lesser number of replacement symbols than the number of originalsymbols to which they are to replace. For example, if a selected one ofthe symbol substitution sets 304A, 304B, 304N indicates to replace tenof twenty original Symbol-A symbols of the symbol set 302A with tenSymbol-B symbols, the replacement module 308 or other module mayrandomly select ten of the twenty original Symbol-A symbols to replace.In one embodiment, groups of two or more consecutive Symbol-A symbols(e.g., “stacks”) may be replaced as a group, as described above, witheach of the symbols of that group being counted as one of the tensymbols to be replaced.

In one embodiment, a placement map associated with each of the symbolsubstitution sets 304 may provide specific positions on reels of thesymbol set 302A to replace symbols, such as positions 5 and 21 on reel1, position 8 on reel 2, etc., where the respective symbol substitutionset 304 identifies the replacement symbols. In other embodiments, theplacement map may identify one or more symbols of the symbol set 302A tobe replaced rather than specific positions on the reel. In yet otherembodiments, the substitution of symbols of the symbol set 302A could berandom, with some “guidance” (e.g., randomly replace ten of thehigh-value symbols, where high-value symbols are defined). These andother manners of identifying the symbols to be replaced may be used,either alone or in combination, to ultimately arrive at a modifiedsymbol set 302B.

Among other things, symbol enhancement as described herein provides alevel of control over one or more of which symbols, their placement,their relative quantities, and/or other symbol-related factors. In oneembodiment, symbol replacement as described herein may increase a numberof certain symbols on one or more reels, while maintaining or otherwisecontrolling winning combinations. This may be accomplished withappropriately-defined symbol substitution sets, and/or also associatedrules. For example, a replacement module or other module updating one ormore slot game reels based on symbol substitution sets may additionallyapply or adhere to rules, whether predefined rules,dynamically-generated rules based on criteria such as game conditions,etc.

FIG. 3B illustrates an example of a rule-based symbol enhancementembodiment, using the representative structure and reference numbersfrom FIG. 3A. Any symbol substitution set may be selected, such assymbol substitution set 304B, whereby the replacement module 308 assistswith applying that symbol substitution set 304B to the original symbolset 302A to create the modified symbol set 302B. In one embodiment, arule 310 may be applied randomly to cause a first number (X) of areplacement symbol to randomly replace any X original symbols identifiedin the selected symbol substitution set 304B in the symbol set 302A. Forexample, if there are twenty star symbols on a reel in the symbol set302A, the rule 310 may indicate to randomly select five of the twentystar symbols on that reel in which to replace with a replacement symbol.In this embodiment, the target symbols to replace may be randomlyselected from the total of such target symbols on the reel(s) to beupdated, whether or not such target symbols are associated withconsecutive strings of like target symbols. The rule 310 may similarlybe used on other reels that are to be updated with one or morereplacement symbols, based on the symbol substitution sets 304. In oneembodiment, a configuration file may be established to carry out such arule 310.

In other embodiments, rules may be provided to randomly select among thetarget symbols on a reel to replace, but to replace randomly selectedstrings of such target symbols before replacing individual targetsymbols. For example, as described above, groups of two or moreconsecutive symbols may be replaced as a group. With the example of rule312, the replacement of target symbols identified in the symbol set 302Amay involve random selection of a plurality of “groups” of one or moreconsecutive ones of the target symbol, and then to replace symbols ofthe groups having multiple consecutive symbols first, and in yet anotherembodiment to replace symbols of the largest groups first, followed bythe next largest group, and so forth until replacement could reachindividual ones of the target symbols. In this manner, a rule 312 couldallow some (or in some cases all) stacks of target symbols toessentially remain stacks of symbols after replacement, but just withthe replacement symbols instead of the original symbols.

As an example of rule 312, assume twenty target symbols on a reel of thesymbol set 304 are to be enhanced/replaced, and the symbol set 304B isselected, which indicates to change ten target symbols on a first reelof the symbol set 302A. Assume that there are twenty such target symbolson that first reel of the symbol set 302A, which includes one string offour consecutive target symbols, one string of two consecutive targetsymbols, and fourteen additional single target symbols on that reel(4+2+14=20 total target symbols). With a rule such as rule 312, if the“groups” of four consecutive and two consecutive strings of targetsymbols were selected from the random selection, then the string of fourtarget symbols would be replaced first, followed by the string of twotarget symbols, and finally followed by four replacement of individualtarget symbols, for a total of ten symbol replacements of the twentyavailable target symbols (i.e. string of four+string of two+fourindividual=ten replaced symbols of the twenty target symbols present onthat reel).

Another representative rule 314 randomly selects target symbols on atarget reel for replacement pursuant to the selected one of the symbolsubstitution sets 304, but if a randomly selected one of the targetsymbols is associated with a string of such target symbols, then all (oras many as the total count to replace will allow) of the target symbolsof that string will be filled. Thus, this embodiment does not givepriority to strings of target symbols as was the case for rule 312, butwill give priority to filling a consecutive string of target symbols ifone of those symbols is one of the randomly-selected target symbols. Forexample, if ten target symbols on a particular reel are to be enhancedwhere that reel includes twenty total target symbols, and there is astring of four consecutive target symbols and the rest individual targetsymbols on that reel, each target symbol will be replaced as they areselected, with the exception that, if possible, all target symbols in astring will be replaced if the target symbol is associated with a stringof target symbols. Any other rule 316 may alternatively or additionallybe used in a similar manner, and the representative rules 310, 312, 314are provided as examples of control and/or guidance that may beconfigured into the symbol enhancement structure and methodology.

FIG. 4 is an embodiment of an operational arrangement of a gaming device400 to enhance symbols in a slot game on a spin-by-spin basis. In thisembodiment, it is assumed that one, some, or all single symbols of aslot game reel set will be replaced with symbols derived from theoriginal symbols that are to be replaced. A derivative symbol in thisregard may refer to a replacement symbol whose value or rank isdifferent from, but based on the original symbol (e.g., a nexthigher-value symbol or other “nudge” of a symbol value). A derivativesymbol may also refer to a replacement symbol that enables that originalsymbol to have a more favorable function. For example, in variousembodiments, a derivative symbol may involve changing a symbol S1 to adouble-symbol D1 that functions as if two consecutive S1 symbols hadappeared on a payline or in a scatter pay, or expanding a symbol intoneighboring symbol locations, or replacing with a wild symbol or othersymbol potentially more likely to result in a payout or higher payout,or replacing with or including a multiplier or other modifier at one ormore symbol locations to enhance payouts, etc.

In the illustrated embodiment, it is assumed that one, some, or allsingle symbols of the slot game reel set will be replaced with doublesymbols, although any symbol replacement is equally applicable in viewof the disclosure herein. In some embodiments, a double symbol counts astwo symbols. For example, four star symbols in a row, in threerespective slot symbol locations, may provide a payout to the player.However, if the first such star symbol was a double star symbol (e.g.,two stars at the same slot symbol location), then only two more singlestar symbols would be needed to reach a four-symbol payout, which couldbe accomplished with a total of three symbol locations rather than foursymbol locations. Thus, changing/enhancing a single symbol to a doublesymbol may be advantageous to the player, since a lesser number of likesymbols in consecutive symbol locations would be needed to reach apayout result that would otherwise require a higher number of suchsymbols in consecutive symbol locations. Thus, for purposes of theexample of FIG. 4 , symbol substitutions to double symbols will beassumed, although the principles are equally applicable to any type ofsymbol substitution, such as multipliers or other payout modifiers, wildsymbols, random symbols, etc.

In this embodiment, a plurality of original slot game reels 410, 411,412 each include strings of symbols. The gaming device 400 may beconfigured to facilitate replacement of one or more of the symbols onone or more of the reels 410, 411, 412 to provide corresponding set ofresulting modified reels 420, 421, 422. The boundary 419A represents apossible resulting window of viewing, such as a display device, whichexhibits a playable portion of the reels 410, 411, 412 to the playerprior to symbol modification. Analogously, the boundary 419B representsa possible resulting window of viewing, such as a display device, whichexhibits a playable portion of the resulting modified reels 420, 421,422 to the player after symbol modification has taken place. Thereplacement of such symbols may be controlled by way of, for example,the symbol substitution bank 404, which includes a plurality of symbolenhancement alternatives or sets 404A, 404B, through 404N.

Which, if any, of the sets 404A, 404B, 404N will be selected to updateone or more of the reels 410, 411, 412 to the resulting modified reels420, 421, 422 may be controlled by an event generator configuredappropriately. In the illustrated embodiment, the event generator isimplemented as a random number generation module 406 that generatesrandom numbers. Each of the symbol enhancement sets 404A, 404B, 404N maybe associated with a number, or a number range, such that it is selectedwhen the random number generation module 406 outputs a number. Forexample, the random number generation module 406 may randomly generateone hundred numbers, where each of the symbol enhancement sets 404A,404B, 404N are each associated with a particular range of numbers. Ifthe number generated by the random number generation module 406 fallswithin the weighted range of numbers of one of the symbol enhancementsets 404A, 404B, 404N, then the respective one of the symbol enhancementsets is selected, and made available for the replacement module 408 tomodify the appropriate reels 410, 411, 412 to provide modified reels420, 421, 422 for that particular player turn or “spin.” In oneembodiment, the weight assigned to any particular symbol substitutionset therefore relates to the relative likelihood of that particularsymbol substitution set being selected relative to the other selectionchoices.

In this example, assume that the random number generation module 406generated a number that ultimately identifies symbol substitution set404B. Assume that the symbol substitution set 404B indicates that five(5) symbols are to be changed on reel 410, zero (0) symbols are to bechanged on reel 411, and one (1) symbol is to be changed on reel 412. Inone embodiment, additional information may be provided, such as aplacement map, to identify specifically which symbols on the reels 410,411, 412 are to be replaced. In other embodiments, the symbol types tobe replaced may be provided, but the specific positions are not, suchthat random ones of the specified number of symbol replacements willoccur. For example, if the symbol type is a star symbol, and there are10 star symbols on reel 410 but only 5 star symbols are to beupdated/enhanced, five of the ten may be randomly selected, or the firstfive on the reel may be replaced, or consecutive groups of a pluralityof such symbol may be given replacement priority, etc.

In the illustrated embodiment, five symbols are to be replaced on reel410, and one symbol is to be replaced on reel 412. In one representativeembodiment, the five symbols to be enhanced on reel 410 are selectedrandomly, and are shown as symbols 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, and thesingle symbol to be enhanced on reel 412 is selected randomly as symbol418. As previously indicated, this particular embodiment assumes thatsymbols to be enhanced by the replacement module 408 will be enhancedwith double symbols of the same type. Thus, in the illustratedembodiment, the “7” symbols 413, 414, 415, 416, 417 and 418 will bereplaced with “double 7” symbols, as depicted as double symbols 423,424, 425, 426, 427 on modified reel 420 and double symbol 428 onmodified reel 422. This new reel configuration on modified reels 420,421, 422 will be used for the particular “spin” of the reels by theplayer, and awards will be based at least on symbol presentations and/orsymbol relationships in response to those modified reels 420, 421, 422.

The symbol substitution sets may also include information as to whichsymbol(s) will replace the targeted symbol(s). In the example of FIG. 4, it was known that double symbols will replace single symbols, so nosuch field in the symbol substitution sets 404A, 404B, 404N would beneeded (although may still be used in other embodiments). For example,if a replacement symbol RS-A was to be configured to replace a symbolS-A, then the replacement symbol RS-A could be included in the symbolsubstitution set 404B. In some embodiments, a replacement symbolselector 430 may be utilized to enable static or dynamic changes to thesymbol(s) that will serve as the replacement symbol(s), which can selectsymbols based on one or more game features, or randomly, etc. The symbolS-A could also be included in the symbol substitution set 404B, if (forexample) it was not fixed or otherwise known.

Another example is now provided in connection with FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C,which depict a representative symbol substitution bank 500 in the formof Table-A in this example, an original symbol set 502 on five reels,and a modified symbol set 504 resulting from application of the symbolsubstitution bank to the original symbol set 502. FIG. 5A depictsTable-A, which includes a plurality of defined symbol substitution sets,also referred to herein as “cases.” Such cases may be determined inadvance, or alternatively determined in response to a play event(s),and/or at the time of symbol modification, or randomly, etc.

In the representative example of FIG. 5A, a first case 506 would affecttwo different symbols, identified in case 506 as M1 and M2 symbols.Regarding the M1 symbols, no symbols would be changed from M1 symbols onReel1 520A, two symbols would be changed from M1 symbols on Reel2 522A,two symbols would be changed from M1 symbols on Reel3 524A, two symbolswould be changed from M1 symbols on Reel4 526A, and two symbols would bechanged from M1 symbols on Reel5 528A (see case 506, row M1). Regardingthe M2 symbols of case 506, five symbols would be changed from M2symbols on Reel1 520A, no symbols would be changed from M2 symbols oneither Reel2 522A or Reel3 524A, one symbol would be changed from an M2symbol on Reel4 526A, and two symbols would be changed from M2 symbolson Reel5 528A. For this particular example, it is assumed that symbolsthat are to be changed will be changed to double symbols of the samesymbol, such as a single star being changed to a double star symbol thatcan count as two star symbols. Stated differently, in this example, M1symbols to be changed will be changed to D1 symbols (where “D1”represents a double symbol of an “M1” symbol), and M2 symbols to bechanged will be changed to D2 symbols (where “D2” represents a doublesymbol of an “M2” symbol).

Therefore, based on which symbol substitution set (“case”) is selected,different symbols on different reels of the original reel set 502 may beidentified for replacement. Examples of how the various cases 505, 508,510, 512 and 514 may be used are now described, with reference to thereels of the original reel set 502 (but without detailing specificsymbol replacements, until a later example). If the first case 506 isselected, the original symbol set 502 will be changed to a modifiedsymbol set 504 such that two M1 symbols are changed to D1 symbols oneach of Reel2 522A, Reel3 524A, Reel4 526A and Reel5 528A, five M2symbols are changed to D2 symbols on Reel1 520A, one M2 symbol ischanged to a D2 symbol on Reel4 526A, and two M2 symbols are changed toD2 symbols on Reel5 528A (symbol replacements not shown in thisexample). The modified symbol set 504 would then be used for theparticular gaming event (e.g., “spin”). A second case 508 under theserepresentative assumptions would result in two M1 symbols being changedto D1 symbols on each of Reel1 520A, Reel3 524A, Reel4 526A, and Reel5528A. A third case 510 under these representative assumptions wouldresult in two M2 symbols being changed to D2 symbols on each of Reel2522A, Reel3 524A, Reel4 526A, and Reel5 528A. A fourth case 512 underthese representative assumptions would result in two M2 symbols beingchanged to D2 symbols on each of Reel1 520A, Reel3 524A, Reel4 526A, andReel5 528A, and in one M3 symbol being changed to a D3 symbol on each ofReel 3 524A, Reel4 526A and Reel5 528A. Finally, a fifth case 514 underthese representative assumptions would result in no changes on the reelsof the original symbol set 502. Symbol replacements are not identifiedon the original reel set for this example, however such symbolreplacements are depicted in an example below.

Thus, a random selection of one of a plurality of cases 506, 508, 510,512, 514 may be made, and based on that selection, the original symbolset 502 will be changed accordingly to arrive at a modified symbol set504. This random selection may be entirely random, weighted towardscertain results, or otherwise manipulated to enable selections to be asdesired.

An example is now provided, which depicts symbol replacements from theoriginal reel set 502 to arrive at the modified reel set 504 based onselection of one of the symbol substitution sets. For purposes of thisexample, it is assumed that each of the various symbol substitutionsets/cases, 506, 508, 510, 512 and 514 are weighted as shown by theweight column 516 of Table-A 500 of FIG. 5A. Specifically, this example,assumes a 24% chance that each of cases 506, 508, 510, and 512 willoccur, and a 4% chance that case 514 will occur. In one embodiment, arandom event selection module (e.g., random event selection module 306of FIGS. 3A/3B) is configured to carry out selection of the symbolsubstitution sets 506, 508, 510, 512, 514 based on a predetermined ordynamically-determined weight associated with each case, and thus the“weight” shown on Table-A 500 is merely provided for ease of description(although the weight for each case could be provided with each case inthe symbol substitution sets 500).

For purposes of this example, it is also assumed that case 508 wasselected for a current reel spin event. This case 508 under theserepresentative assumptions results in two M1 symbols being changed to D1symbols on each of Reel1 520A, Reel3 524A, Reel4 526A, and Reel5 528A.In one embodiment, the number of symbols to be replaced on a given reelmay match the number of such symbols available on that reel, in whichcase all of the symbols of that type are changed. In other embodiments,the number of symbols to be replaced on a given reel may be less thanthe total number of such symbols available on that given reel, in whichcase a subset of the total symbols of that type are changed. Such asubset of symbols may be specifically designated (e.g., change these twoparticular symbols at these particular locations on that reel), or maybe randomly chosen (e.g., change any two symbols of that type on thereel), or may be selected using weighting or otherwise. In this example,it is assumed that symbols of the type to be replaced are randomlychosen on the respective reel for replacement.

In the present example assuming selection of case 508, it is assumedthat two randomly-selected single symbols M1 530 and M1 532 on Reel1520A of the original symbol set 502 will be replaced by double symbolsof the same type, arriving at modified double symbols D1 534 and D1 536at the resulting Reel1 520B of the modified symbol set 504. In ananalogous manner, symbols M1 540 and M1 542 on Reel3 524A of theoriginal symbol set 502 will be replaced to double symbols resulting inD1 544 and D1 546 at the resulting Reel3 524B of the modified symbol set504. Symbols M1 550 and M1 552 on Reel4 526A of the original symbol set502 will be replaced to double symbols resulting in D1 554 and D1 556 atthe resulting Reel4 526B of the modified symbol set 504. Finally,symbols M1 560 and M1 562 on Reel5 528A of the original symbol set 502will be replaced to double symbols resulting in D1 564 and D1 566 at theresulting Reel5 528B of the modified symbol set 504.

Thus, when generating a weighted random number based on the weights inTable-A 500, case 508 would be selected 24% of the time. This wouldcorrespond to the reel strips in Table-B 502 being changed to the reelstrips in Table-C 504 for that spin. As previously noted, if so chosen,the reel strips could be played with no changes, represented by case 514in this example.

As the example of FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C illustrates, based on the weightedselection of a case 506, 508, 510, 512, 514, the original symbol set 502can be modified as instructed by the selected symbol substitution set(“case”) to provide the modified symbol set 504 for use in a particularreel spin of a slot game. Such selection may be made on any one, more,or all spins associated with a slot game or other similar gaming event.Rather than changing to another symbol, the original symbol could changeto something different, such as a payout modifier. A multiplier is anexample of a payout modifier, and a symbol or set of symbols can berandomly selected, and placed on reels, and changed to a multiplier inan analogous fashion as described above for symbol-to-symbolreplacement. The placement map described above may relate to theplacement of symbols on reels and identification of the proper reel. Theplacement of the symbols can be random, and may be of the same symboltype (e.g., M1 to double-M1, referred to herein as D1), within eachreel. Alternatively, this could be changed to select specific mapping oneach individual reel strip. Or location-dependent versus type-dependent.A D1 or other D# double symbol as used herein may represent any symbolwith a double image of a symbol. It may be related to the single versionof that symbol image, by way of paytable evaluation and payouts. Anindividual “double” symbol may represent two single symbols. In otherembodiments, an individual double symbol may represent a special symbolthat acts differently than its counterpart symbol with a single symbolimage, such as providing a higher or different payout when used inconnection with other symbols, whether matching symbols or not, enablingsmaller symbol combination payouts (e.g., a 2-symbol combination of a D1and M1 may provide a payout, where the D1 is a single symbol with two M1images on it), etc.

In one embodiment, for a particular symbol type that is to be changed(e.g., M1 symbol to D1 symbol) there may be a desire to have consecutivestrings of such symbols, sometimes referred to herein as a “stack” oflike symbols, all be changed together, so that any such consecutivestring/stack remains as a stack of like symbols. For example, assume areel was configured with symbols S1, S2, S3, S4, S2, S2, S2, S2, S5, S6,S7, S8, to which there is a string of four S2 symbols in a row. In oneembodiment, it may be desirable that if any of such symbols in thatstring/stack is modified, then all of the symbols will be modified, sothat the stack of like symbols remains intact, just with modifiedsymbols. FIG. 6 depicts one representative manner for selecting symbolson a reel for replacement, while ensuring (or at least encouraging tosome extent) that strings of like symbols remain a string of likesymbols after symbol enhancement/modification. Stated alternatively,this embodiment illustrates one manner for selecting symbols on a reelfor replacement, while tending to retain stacks of like symbols onmodified reels if any symbol from a stack on the original reel istargeted for replacement.

Referring now to the example of FIG. 6 , a first reel of a multi-reelsymbol set is considered 600. In this example, consecutive symbols ofone symbol or more are each considered “groups” of symbols. The totalnumber (N) of symbols, of the symbol type of interest, are identified602 that are to be modified on the particular reel. For example, it maybe desired to modify twenty S1 symbols (i.e. S1 represents the symbolsof symbol type of interest) to some other symbol on the first reel. Inorder to allow stacks of symbols to be modified to remain as a stack ofmodified symbols, the illustrated embodiment identifies 604 groups ofconsecutive symbols of the symbol type of interest (e.g., identifyconsecutive strings of one or more S1 symbols on the first reel). Afirst of those groups may then be selected 606, which may be selectedentirely randomly, in a weighted fashion, or selected in any desiredmanner. The selected group could have just one S1 symbol, or twoconsecutive S1 symbols, or more consecutive S1 symbols. The number ofsymbols of the symbol type of interest in the selected group isidentified 608. For example, if the selected group of S1 symbols hasonly one consecutive S1 symbol, the identified number of such symbolswould be one. If the selected group of S1 symbols has two consecutive S1symbols, then the identified number of such symbols would be two, and soforth.

In this embodiment, when the group has been identified 608, thosesymbols of the selected group are modified 610. Since symbols are beingmodified in groups of consecutive like symbols, stacks of an originalsymbol that is targeted for replacement will remain a stack of the new,replacement symbols. The remaining number of symbols to modify on thatreel is calculated 612, such as by subtracting the identified number ofsymbols in the selected group from the number of symbols yet to modify.If after calculating 612 it is determined 614 that there are anyremaining symbols to modify on that reel, another group is selected 606,and the process continues until the number of symbols identified 602 toreplace on that reel have been modified. When it is determined 614 thereare no further symbols to modify for that reel, if there are more reels,the next reel is considered 618, and the number of symbols of the symboltype of interest to modify on that next reel is identified 602. Theprocess at blocks 606-614 continues until there are no more symbols tomodify on that reel, and the process at blocks 602-616 continues untilall symbols have been replaced on all reels of interest. At this point,the reels have been modified as desired, and the game result based onany reels with modified symbols is provided 620.

The example set forth in FIG. 6 depicts one representative manner inwhich symbols on an original reel(s) may be selected for enhancement orother modification, particularly where a consecutive series of thetarget symbols are to be replaced. However, other manners for selectingand modifying symbols may be implemented. Additionally, the selectionand replacement may be entirely random, or in other cases guided withcertain probabilities, such that (for example) twenty S1 symbols can belocated on a reel and enhanced with other symbols, whether or not theyare associated with consecutive strings, etc.

Symbols may be enhanced or otherwise modified with any symbols desired.In some examples disclosed herein, symbols were assumed to change todouble symbols of themselves, such as a star symbol being enhanced to adouble-star symbol. However, symbols may be enhanced or otherwisemodified to any symbol, whether a more favorable symbol to the player,or a less favorable symbol to the player, on a particular spin or othergaming event. The modification symbols, i.e. those replacing othersymbols, may be multipliers or other modifiers, wild symbols, high-valuesymbols (or higher-value symbols than those targeted for replacement),operational or functional symbols, etc., and the modification to doublesymbols is merely an example. In some embodiments, a replacement symbolselector may be utilized to enable static or dynamic changes to thesymbol(s) that will result from a symbol change, as depicted by thereplacement symbol selector 430 shown in FIG. 4 .

FIGS. 7A and 7B depict examples of a slot game results without and withsymbol replacement respectively. FIG. 7A depicts what a slot game resultmight be where no symbol replacement occurs. The slot game grid 700Aincludes a plurality of symbol locations with symbols presented therein,and may include any number of paylines or other rules to identify whenan award or other asset may be provided to the player. The slot gamegrid 700A may present “reels” of symbols, whether such reels are on agrid column basis, individual symbol locations, or otherwise. In theillustrated embodiment, four paylines are depicted for purposes ofillustration, including paylines 702, 704, 706, 708. In this example,three colored seven symbols are on payline 704 at symbol locations 710,712, 714, as is a wild symbol at symbol location 716. It is assumed thatno winning condition occurred on payline 704, since the first symbol atsymbol location 718 on the payline 704 was not a matching colored sevensymbol or wild symbol.

However, assume a symbol substitution bank had been employed, such assymbol substitution bank 404 of FIG. 4 , where some or all blank sevensymbols were to be changed to wild symbols for this particular spin. Insuch a case, a slot spin outcome such as shown in FIG. 7B may result. Insuch case, blank seven symbols at symbol locations 718, 720 would bereplaced on their respective reels (e.g., columns incorporating symbollocations 718, 720 respectively), with wild symbols, which are 5×-wildsymbols in this example (i.e. a wild symbol, plus providing a five timesmultiplier for payouts on paylines including respective symbol locations718, 720). As the spin result in slot game grid 700B depicts, thereplaced symbols at symbol location 718, 720 result in a winningcondition on payline 704, which is a string of five consecutive coloredseven symbols (including wild symbols) at symbol locations 718, 710,712, 716, and 714. In accordance with one embodiment, the replacement ofblank seven symbols with wild symbols would expire at the end of thespin result or other gaming activity result, making way for a new symbolreplacement, or no symbol replacement, in the next spin and ensuingspins. In this manner, guided and/or random symbol replacement on aspin-by-spin basis enables player excitement, operator control, and/orother advantages.

FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are block diagrams of representative gamingapparatuses for enhancing, transforming, or replacing symbols in agaming symbol grid. In the embodiment of FIG. 8A, a slot game device 800is provided on which players can play slot games. Other games mayinstead be used as a primary game, such as poker, etc. Therepresentative slot game device 800 includes at least a display 802presenting a slot game symbol array or “grid” 804 of symbols, a userinterface 806 including at least one user input 808 to enable a playerto initiate a slot game event presented via the slot game grid 804, anda wager input device 810 structured to identify and validate playerassets and ultimately permit the player to play the slot game event whenthe player assets are provided.

The representative slot game device 800 further includes storage 812 tostore information related to the gaming activity. In the illustratedembodiment of FIG. 8A, the storage stores a reel set(s) 814 thatincludes a plurality of slot game reel arrangements or other manner ofrandomizing a presentation of symbols. In the illustrated embodiment, aportion of the reel set is displayed on the display 802 as the array orgrid 804 of symbols. The storage 812 may further store a symbolsubstitution or replacement bank, including a plurality of symbolsubstitution sets 816. Each of the symbol substitution sets 816 in thisembodiment identify one or more target symbols of the reel set 814 thatare targeted for replacement, and also each specify a number of thetarget symbols to replace on each of the plurality of reels of the reelset 814. It should be noted that not all of the reels of the reel set814 may involve symbol replacement, and thus other embodiments mayidentify which (if any) of the reels are to receive replacement symbols.

The slot game device 800 also includes a processor 818 configured toselect (at least) one of the symbol substitution sets, and in responseto the information in the selected symbol substitution set, to determine822 which symbols to replace (“target symbols”) and how many of suchtarget symbols are to be replaced. Thus, the processor causesinformation, regarding the target symbols and number of target symbolsto be replaced, to be retrieved from the selected symbol substitutionset 816. This can vary depending on which symbol substitution set 816was selected 820. The processor 818 of the present example is furtherconfigured to replace 824 the specified number of the target symbols oneach respective reel with replacement symbols.

The slot game device 800 configures the processor 818 (which may includeone or more cooperative processing devices) to structurally programfunctional elements into hardware modules. Processor 818 circuitryconfiguration thus changes based on the modules developed by storedsoftware to carry out the desired methodology. For example, theprocessor 818 is programmed by software/code to create a hardware-basedmodule to select symbol substitution sets 820 and to create other suchsoftware/code modules for each of the operations 820-824.

Other structural modules may be created on the slot game device using aproperly configured processor 818. Referring now to the example of FIG.8B, the processor 818 may be configured into programmed modules toretrieve 826 the stored symbol substitution set, in response to a signalto replace the target symbols on the reels with the replacement symbolsof the symbol substitution set. The programming modules may furtherlocate 828 a number of the target symbols on each of the reels asspecified in the symbol substitution set, the number being the specifiednumber of the target symbols to be replaced on each of the reels asspecified in the symbol substitution set. The programming modules mayfurther replace 830 the number of located target symbols with thereplacement symbols for use in a slot game event. In response to theslot game event, payouts are identified 832 on the reels as modified bythe replacement symbols, and each of the reels is reset 834 to itsoriginal state. Until another signal is received as determined at block836, the original reels will be used as shown at block 838.

In one embodiment, the reels remain in their original state (i.e.original symbols and sequence on each of the reels) until receivinganother signal 836 to replace the target symbols on the reels withreplacement symbols. This would trigger another symbol substitutionevent for another reel spin. The signal can be a random notificationsignaling a request to enable the symbol replacement for that reel spin,or can be provided as a result of a triggering event during play of theslot game event (e.g., a symbol combination; an awarded feature; etc.),or the like.

Still other structural modules may be created on the slot game deviceusing a properly configured processor 818. In one embodiment shown inFIG. 8C, a slot game includes a display presenting a slot game grid,slot game reels each having symbols associated therewith, a userinterface including user inputs to allow a player to initiate a slotgame event presented via the slot game grid, and a wager input devicestructured to identify and validate player assets and permit the playerto play the slot game event when the player assets are provided. Theslot game further includes a processor 818 configured into programmedmodules to select 840 from multiple symbol substitution sets, eachidentifying a target symbol(s) targeted for replacement and a number ofthe target symbols to replace, on each of the reels identified in theselected symbol substitution set. The programmed modules may replace 842that number of the target symbols with replacement symbols on each ofthe reels as governed by the selected symbol substitution set. Theprogrammed modules may also identify 844 winning symbol combinations andcorresponding awards from the reels as modified by the replacementsymbols and displayed via the slot game grid, and remove 846 thereplacement symbols from the reels prior to player participation in asubsequent reel spin or other slot game event.

The disclosure provided herein is also applicable in other gamingcontexts. For example, in a poker context, a plurality of symbolsubstitution sets, more particularly card substitution sets, each havingone or more cards associated therewith, and in some embodiments anindication of where in the deck(s) of cards will replace existing cards.As a more particular example, additional “2” cards in a poker game where“2” cards are wild, could replace other cards. In other embodiments, thesymbol substitution sets may include one or more cards to add to thedeck(s) of cards that provide the source of the poker hand(s) beingplayed by the player, such as to randomly add one or more high valuecards in response to the selection of a symbol substitution set thatidentifies such high-value card(s) addition. For example, a number ofsymbol substitution sets may be provided that respectively includeadditional Aces, additional Kings, etc., and a random selection of oneof the symbol substitution sets. As another example, additional “2”cards in a poker game where “2” cards are wild, could be added to thedeck(s) that source the poker hand(s), to randomly (for example)increase the chances of getting a wild card(s) on particular playedhands. Thus, allowing cards of the source deck(s) to have cards replacedand/or added, depending on which of a plurality of card substitutionsets is selected, can provide entertaining variations to standard pokerplay. The principles described herein are equally applicable to suchcard games, and references to “symbols” and other slot gamecharacteristics are equally applicable to “cards” and other poker gamecharacteristics.

The foregoing description of the representative embodiments has beenpresented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light ofthe above teaching. For example, the present invention is equallyapplicable in electronic or mechanical gaming machines, and is alsoapplicable to live table versions of gaming activities that are capableof being played in a table version (e.g., machines involving poker orcard games that could be played via table games).

Some embodiments have been described above, and in addition, somespecific details are shown for purposes of illustrating the inventiveprinciples. However, numerous other arrangements may be devised inaccordance with the inventive principles of this patent disclosure.Further, well known processes have not been described in detail in ordernot to obscure the invention. Thus, while the invention is described inconjunction with the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings,it is not limited to these embodiments or drawings. Rather, theinvention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, andequivalents that come within the scope and spirit of the inventiveprinciples set out above.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of operating a slot game apparatusincluding a memory configured to store a reel set comprising a pluralityof reels each having a plurality of symbols associated therewith and aplurality of symbol substitution sets each identifying one or moretarget symbols of the reel set targeted for replacement and eachspecifying a number of the target symbols to replace on each of theplurality of reels, a random event selection module, and a symbolreplacement module, the method comprising: receiving a signal toinitiate a gaming event on the slot game apparatus, activating therandom event selection module to select one of the plurality of symbolsubstitution sets, and in response, to retrieve the respectiveidentified one more target symbols and the specified number of thetarget symbols to replace on each of the plurality of reels; activatingthe symbol replacement module to replace the retrieved specified numberof the retrieved identified target symbols on each respective one of theplurality of reels with replacement symbols using rules identifyingpriorities of which of the retrieved identified target symbols will bereplaced with the replacement symbols; and utilizing the plurality ofreels with the replacement symbols for the initiated gaming event. 2.The method of operating the slot game apparatus of claim 1, wherein therandom event selection module is configured to select any one of theplurality of symbol substitution sets in connection with eachrandomization and presentation of the reel set.
 3. The method ofoperating the slot game apparatus of claim 2, wherein the random eventselection module is configured to select any one of the plurality ofsymbol substitution sets based on assigned relative likelihoods ofselection among the plurality of symbol substitution sets.
 4. The methodof operating the slot game apparatus of claim 2, wherein the randomevent selection module is configured to randomly select any one of theplurality of symbol substitution sets.
 5. The method of operating theslot game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reel set is reset to itsoriginal configuration prior to the next selection by the random eventselection module.
 6. The method of operating the slot game apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of symbol substitutionsets further includes information specifying particular ones of theidentified target symbols to be replaced among a total of the targetsymbols in the reel set.
 7. The method of operating the slot gameapparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of symbolsubstitution sets further includes information specifying particularpositions on the plurality of reels in which the retrieved identifiedtarget symbols are to be positioned in place of the symbols originallyat those particular positions.
 8. The method of operating the slot gameapparatus of claim 1, further comprising removing the replacementsymbols from the plurality of game reels after the gaming event toreturn the plurality of game reels to an original state.
 9. The methodof operating the slot game apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more ofthe plurality of symbol substitution sets further includes anidentification of the replacement symbols to be used to replace thetarget symbols.
 10. The method of operating the slot game apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the replacement symbols are predetermined for each ofthe one or more target symbols of the reel set targeted for replacement.11. The method of operating the slot game apparatus of claim 10, whereinthe replacement symbols are double symbols of the target symbols beingreplaced.
 12. The method of operating the slot game apparatus of claim1, wherein one or more of the plurality of symbol substitution setsspecifies a number of zero of the target symbols to replace on one ormore of the plurality of reels.
 13. The method of operating the slotgame apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reel set comprises a virtual reelset, and further comprising storage to store the reel set and theplurality of symbols associated therewith.
 14. The method of operatingthe slot game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the random event selectionmodule comprises a random number generator, and wherein each of theplurality of symbol substitution sets is associated with a number orrange of numbers identifiable by an output of the random numbergenerator.
 15. A method of operating a slot game device including adisplay presenting a slot game grid, a plurality of slot game reels eachhaving a plurality of symbols associated therewith where a portion ofthe slot game reels are presented via the slot game grid, a userinterface including at least one user input to enable a player toinitiate a slot game event presented via the slot game grid, a wagerinput device structured to identify and validate player assets and topermit the player to play the slot game event when the player assets areprovided, and a processor, the method comprising: selecting from aplurality of symbol substitution sets, each identifying at least onetarget symbol targeted for replacement and a number of the targetsymbols to replace, on each of the reels identified in the selectedsymbol substitution set; replacing the number of the target symbols withreplacement symbols on each of the reels as governed by the selectedsymbol substitution set and as governed by rules identifying prioritiesof which of the target symbols will be replaced with the replacementsymbols; identifying winning symbol combinations and correspondingawards from the reels as modified by the replacement symbols anddisplayed via the slot game grid; and removing the replacement symbolsfrom the reels prior to player participation in a subsequent one of theslot game events.
 16. The slot game apparatus of claim 15, wherein eachof the plurality of symbol substitution sets is assigned a likelihood ofbeing selected relative to the other ones of the symbol substitutionsets, and wherein the method further comprises selecting from theplurality of symbol substitution sets pursuant to the assignedlikelihoods of being selected and the rules identifying the priorities.17. A method of operating a slot game device including a displaypresenting a slot game grid, a user interface including at least oneuser input to enable a player to initiate a slot game event presentedvia the slot game grid, a wager input device structured to identify andvalidate player assets and to permit the player to play the slot gameevent when the player assets are provided, reel storage configured tostore a plurality of reels of a slot game wherein each of the reels hasa plurality of consecutive symbols associated therewith, symbolsubstitution set storage configured to store a symbol substitution setidentifying one or more target symbols on one or more of the reels to bereplaced with one or more replacement symbols, and specifying a numberof the target symbols to be replaced on each of the reels, and aprocessor, the method comprising: (a) retrieving the stored symbolsubstitution set in response to a signal to replace the target symbolson the one or more reels with the one or more replacement symbols of thesymbol substitution set; (b) locating the target symbols on each of thereels as identified in the symbol substitution set, in a quantitycorresponding to the specified number of the target symbols to bereplaced as identified in the symbol substitution set; (c) replacing thequantity of located target symbols with the replacement symbols for usein a slot game event based on rules identifying a priority of which ofthe located target symbols are to be first replaced by the replacementsymbols; (d) in response to the slot game event, identifying winningsymbol combinations and corresponding awards on the one or more reels asmodified by the replacement symbols; (e) resetting each of the reels totheir original state in response to the slot game event; and (f)repeating (a)-(e) in response to further occurrences of the signal. 18.The method of operating the slot game device of claim 17, wherein thesymbol substitution set storage is configured to store a plurality ofthe symbol substitution sets, each identifying respective ones of thetarget symbols and specifying a respective number of the target symbolsto be replaced on each of the reels; and wherein the method furthercomprises selecting one of the plurality of symbol substitution sets inresponse to the signal, retrieving the selected one of the symbolsubstitution sets, and performing (b)-(f) based on the target symbolsand specified number of the target symbols to be replaced associatedwith the selected one of the symbol substitution sets.
 19. The method ofoperating the slot game device of claim 17, wherein the signal isprovided randomly in connection with the slot game event.
 20. The methodof operating the slot game device of claim 17, wherein the signal isprovided in response to an event associated with participation in theslot game event.